Attorneys are often taken for granted in our society. They are kind of like police in that you don’t always think about them on a daily basis but when you need them…you really need them.
Even though there is a long list of cases where you will probably need to call upon a personal injury or some other type of attorney, however, cases that involve automobiles are some of the most common. According to some statistics, more than 3 million individuals suffer from some kind of accident injury each year in the United States.
Once you are injured in a car accident, attorneys are your voice between you and the other party’s insurance company. Yes, you can attempt to handle these things on your own but you are likely to fail. The reason for this is obvious. Most insurance companies have high-powered attorneys working on their behalf.
Insurance companies are in the business of making money so their primary goal is to pay you the least amount possible. If you don’t have an attorney that specializes in personal injury ready to represent you, the likelihood of you coming out on the short end is very high. Personal attorneys are hired to keep your best interest first and that’s why you should always consider hiring one immediately if you find yourself in these kinds of scenarios.
If you do have to hire a personal injury attorney, don’t think that you are going to end up in some kind of long and drawn out trial. In the United States, less than 5% of such lawsuits ever make it to trial. The majority of time these cases are quietly settled out of court and that is great news for most litigants.
As mentioned earlier, there are many instances where you may need to hire an attorney but with over 3000 people losing their lives yearly in car wrecks, you can see why some kind of auto accident may be the primary reason for calling a lawyer.
In addition to accidents that involve other cars, more than 500,000 crashes yearly in the USA are from tractor trailers. These accidents are often very severe and can involve anything from spinal cord injuries to death. In simple terms, these are not cases that you want to handle personally.
Not only are you fighting against huge insurance companies, but you are also battling against the owners of the big rig. Unless you have very deep pockets, the chances are that they will outlast you in court and use tactics that the average person is not prepared to handle. Attorneys can be true saviors in these instances and position you to get what you deserve.
Here are a few things to consider before you start vetting attorneys…
One thing you should look into is the history of the attorney that you are looking to hire. Do they actually have experience in the case that you are bringing forth. It is not uncommon for newer attorneys to accept jobs that they don’t have a ton of experience in handling yet they are authorized to do so. Therefore, it is your job as a potential client to do a little research and make sure that you are working with the right firm.
Also, when it comes to compensation, not all attorneys are equal so you must do your own due diligence and ask the right questions. In many cases, you will not have to actually pay a personal injury attorney until you win your case but this is not always true. So, it’s up to you to find out their expectations and get them in writing before you move forward.
You might also consider finding an attorney that is fairly close to you physically. In today’s internet world, it is easy to go online and find an attorney but you may want them to at least be in your state. Keep in mind that this is not always a requirement but it is something that you should at least discuss with your attorney before contracting them. Attorneys are there to help you and most will give a free consultation.
